Prairie Grove Approves ’19-’20 School Budget

PRAIRIE GROVE — During regular and special meetings in September, Prairie Grove School Board approved the 2019-20 school budget, a general contractor’s agreement for its new seventheighth-grade school and a 2020 master plan for facilities.

For the school’s 2019-20 budget, the district started the year, which began July 1, with a $1.5 million balance. The district projects to receive $17.4 million in revenue with $16.4 million in expenses and have an ending balance of $2.4 million. Of the ending balance, about $945,000 would be transferred to the district’s discretionary building fund account.

Budgeted expenses for the year include $8 million for teacher and staff salaries and other related expenses; $7.6 million for the operating budget, which includes employee benefits, $1.7 million for

maintenance and operations and $753,000 for transportation; and almost $800,000 for debt service for principal, interest, dues and fees.

Projected revenue for the year includes $9.9 million from state aid, $5 million in property taxes and $1.2 million from state designated funding and other sources.

The board approved the budget at its Sept. 16 regular meeting.

It also approved a general contract with Pick-it Construction for the new seventh-eighth grade building. Pick-it’s fee will be based on the actual costs of the building.

The school board is in the process of deciding exactly where to build the new school. The original plan was to use the site of the former primary school but board members also are looking at school property across from the high school.

At the same Sept. 16 meeting, the board approved a bid of $20,410 from David’s Floor Covering for a new floor for the FEMA building at Prairie Grove Elementary School.

The board approved its 2020 Master Academic Facilities Plan at a special meeting held Sept. 23. The report, due to the Arkansas Department of Education by Oct. 1, shows future plans for new facilities but does not hold the school to the projects, according to David Kellogg, assistant superintendent.

“It’s a plan, not an obligation,” Kellogg told board members.

The report shows that the district has two buildings that have exceeded their 50-year life and have a zero or less building value. These buildings are the seventh and eighth building and the annex building at the middle school. The district plans to demolish both buildings as part of its plan for a new school for seventh and eighth graders.

To address student enrollment in the future, the report says the district will apply for state partnership funding for two projects for the 2021-23 funding cycle: a middle school addition for fourth grade and an addition at the new seventh-eighth grade building. If approved for state partnership money, construction would be later.